"I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles" (Isaiah 42:6)

The Prophetic Beast of the Book of Revelation (Part 1)

The Philadelphia Church of God has a NEW PROPHET and he is the Regional Director of UK, Europe Brad Macdonald. He has written a book entitled, “The Holy Roman Empire in Prophecy” and he discussed about “a terrifying beast (in Europe) is close to being formed already”:

Chapter 8: The SEVENTH and FINAL RESURRECTION—NOW HERE

Looking at Europe today, it is difficult to imagine the appearance of another Charlemagne, Napoleon or Hitler. The idea of Europe participating in another destructive global conflict, let alone initiating one, seems impossible and outrageous.

For most people, Europe’s storied history—its dungeons and castles, its ancient weapons and renowned battlefields, its celebrated medieval past, filled with royal and political intrigue—is valuable only as a lure for tourists. Europe’s days of conquest and empire are done. The future, so many believe, belongs to America, China, Russia and Islam.

One can understand this perception. After all, the world hasn’t been frightened by a European military since the Second World War. Europe continues to ward off economic and financial ruin, as well as social unrest and revolt. Europe is multicultural and sophisticated, and a world leader in defending human rights and environmental activism. The EU itself is an inefficient, cumbersome collection of states beset with conflicting interests, bogged down by bureaucracy, and seemingly incapable of ever becoming a formidable global leader, let alone a lethal imperial superpower.

But 1,500 years of European history should warn us against underestimating the Holy Roman Empire—and the Vatican. We must not merely look at Europe in its current state.

It must be studied in its historical context. And we ought to consider Europe’s potential. The EU is home to 506 million people, almost 7 percent of the global population. Its economy is twice the size of China’s and much larger than America’s.

One fifth of all the world’s economic activity happens in the EU. European nations have 1.5 million personnel in their armed forces. Europe is led by one of the world’s strongest, healthiest and most popular countries, Germany.

Europe has great potential to become a dominant financial, political and military power.

And as we have seen, Europe also has a long history with imperialism and global domination. Imagine if these elements of power were marshaled into a cohesive, dynamic geopolitical entity—a force that was once again directed at resurrecting the Roman Empire?

What if such a terrifying beast is close to being formed already?

Source: The Holy Roman Empire in Prophecy, page 117

Is this European military really the BEAST being prophesied by the Apostle John in the Book of Revelations?

And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. (Revelation 13:1-2)

The Bible is full of great symbolism. How can we know what the meaning of those symbols are? From “Who or What is the Prophetic Beast?,” here is what Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong wrote (emphasis mine):

Bible prophecy reveals events of our time and world shaking events soon to change your life.

A major world-shaking event is foretold in the symbolic language of a mysterious world-dominating wild beast.

The Bible is God’s book of history, prophecy and revealed knowledge of God’s purpose and master plan for humanity from its beginning on into eternity. But the Bible is primarily a book about the chosen nation of Israel, and other nations that have come into direct contact with Israel.

THE BIBLE – A BOOK ABOUT AND FOR ISRAEL

To better understand what those symbolisms in Revelations are as intended by God, we must consider what Mr. Armstrong wrote that “the Bible is primarily a book about the chosen nation of Israel, and other nations that have come into direct contact with Israel.” Moreover, he also taught that the Bible is also about the Old and the New Covenant which involved physical and spiritual Israel respectively:

The Old Covenant was made with a people upon their promise to obey. They disobeyed. The New Covenant shall be made only with a Spirit-born Church — a people who, during their mortal lives, will have been begotten by God’s Spirit and already PROVED their willingness to obey God! The Old was made with sinning mortals. The New will be made with righteous immortals.

Source: THE PLAIN TRUTH ABOUT THE OLD AND NEW COVENANTS, The Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course Lesson 17, 1983

The apostle Paul even gave an admonition to this spiritual Israel who is under the New Covenant:

Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. (1 Corinthians 10:11)

All the things that happened to the ancient physical nation of Israel who was under the Old Covenant were given to His Church by God to serve as an example and an admonition specifically for us living in this end time. Mr. Armstrong further explained that we in God’s Church HAS NOT YET entered into this New Covenant which is yet to be “signed, sealed and delivered” so to speak.

The old covenant is ENDED. The apostle Paul said, “… God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life” (II Corinthians 3:6).

Yet the new covenant HAS NOT YET BEEN MADE! Its terms and conditions have been revealed to us through Christ. We ministers preach it. And even though as a final MARRIAGE COVENANT it has not been made – that is, in contract language, signed, sealed and delivered, those whom God has called are privileged to have God’s law written in our hearts, to have the life-begetting sin-overcoming Holy Spirit to open our minds to spiritual UNDERSTANDING, to guide us in God’s ways, and, within us, to EMPOWER us to overcome Satan and DO THE WORK OF GOD!

Source: THE PLAIN TRUTH ABOUT THE COVENANTS page 1 Good News December 18, 1978

If the Bible is primarily a book ABOUT the chosen nation of physical and spiritual Israel and other nations that have come into direct contact with both physical and spiritual Israel which have been encapsulated in the Old and the New Testament books, and since the account written in the Old Testament serves as an example and admonition for spiritual Israel in this end time, so it just means that the understanding of the mysteries of God in the WHOLE BIBLE including its doctrines and instructions in righteousness, the history and the prophecy written on it are actually FOR His own Church, spiritual Israel – specifically for those “upon whom the ends of the world are come” who will consummate the MARRIAGE COVENANT under the New Covenant. Mr. Armstrong further adds:

Let me here interject a biblical principle within the immediate context. There is this instruction in Isaiah: “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? … precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little” (Isaiah 28:9-10). But most who try to apply this principle in biblical under-standing take each “little” verse out of its context, to “interpret” their own ideas into it.

The Holy Bible is unique among all books ever written. The very fact that its truths are revealed here a little, there a little means it is a coded book, not to be understood until our present time of the end as explained elsewhere in this volume.

Those who have tried to read the Bible directly and continuously from the beginning have been bewildered. Many have simply thrown up their hands and said, as I myself did once, “I just can’t understand the Bible.” That is why Bruce Barton said the Bible is the book nobody knows. As I have explained elsewhere the Bible is like a jigsaw puzzle. Until the various pieces of a jigsaw puzzle are put properly together, the true picture does not emerge.

Source: Mystery of the Ages

WHO OR WHAT IS A BEAST?

Applying what Mr. Armstrong wrote as to whom the Bible is for, we can really know who or what this prophetic “beast” of Revelation really is. As written in the New Testament by the apostle John, he knew that this “beast” indeed have had a direct contact with spiritual Israel or God’s Church and that is true for every Church era. (Revelation 12)

The Book of Revelation is a book written with GREAT SYMBOLISM in which ONLY God could give the real interpretation of. He is the ONLY ONE who can put properly the various pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together for the true picture to emerge.

Now most of those who are teaching and preaching to others on these subjects overlook entirely this description. For this description will identify the beast.

If the beast is some mysterious superman, or antichrist, soon to appear as world dictator, he will be a peculiar-looking individual indeed, for he will have seven heads, and 10 horns!

Have you ever seen a man with seven heads, and 10 horns growing out of one of his heads? And did you ever see a man who was like a leopard, and can you imagine a superman coming who will have the feet of a bear, and the mouth of a lion? And will he appear by coming up out of some ocean?

Now these, of course, are all symbols. The very word beast is a symbol. And our problem is to interpret the symbols, for they stand for real, literal things. But man cannot interpret biblical symbols…

The Bible Interprets Its Own Symbols

The point we want to stress is that the Bible interprets its own symbols! If we want the truth, we must be guided solely by the Bible interpretation, not man’s interpretations and imaginations.

And the Bible itself tells us what they represent!

Source: Who or What is the Prophetic Beast?

Now WHO or WHAT is this PROPHETIC BEAST? What does the Bible really tells us about this BEAST? Let’s begin our quest for understanding by going back to the story of the creation of man and beast in Genesis chapter 1. Here is what God’s SIGNET wrote about it:

Man in God’s Image

To prepare the earth for the creation of man, God renewed the face of the earth. This is explained in Psalm 104:30: “Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.”

Now back to Genesis 1:2: The earth had come to be in a state of ruin. “… And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”

The first thing God did was turn darkness back into light as originally made. God said, “Let there be light: and there was light” (Genesis 1:3).

So in six days God renewed the face of the earth (this renewing was not its original creation, but restoring it to the condition of its original creation) preparing it for the creation of man!

God separated the dry land from the oceans. He created then the plant life on the land, then the sea life in the water, the animal life. In the Hebrew in which Moses wrote, the vertebrates are called nephesh in verses 20, 21, 24. The translators correctly rendered nephesh in these three verses into the English words “living creatures.” Yet in Genesis 2:7, speaking of man, the same word nephesh was translated “soul” because the translators falsely thought that only humans are souls. The word nephesh literally means “life of animals,” referring to physical life and not spirit.

Source: Mystery of the Ages

God created the living creatures including man on the sixth day (Genesis 1:24-31). In verse 24 the word “creature” is “nephesh” (H5315) while in Genesis 2:7 as Mr Armstrong noted that the word “soul” came from the same Hebrew word “nephesh.”

I researched the word soul by means of a Bible concordance. Twice I found the expression, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4 and 18:20).

Then I remembered I had read in Genesis 2 how God said to the first humans, who were souls, “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

In Genesis 2:7 I read how God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man (dust—matter) “became a living soul.”

This stated plainly that a soul is physical—formed from matter. I found that the English word soul is translated from the Hebrew nephesh and that in Genesis 1 fowl, fish and animals—all three—were nephesh, as Moses was inspired to write.

Source: Mystery of the Ages

So it means that the beasts of the field, fowls of the air and the sea creatures are all “nephesh” just like man. The Hebrew word “nephesh” according to Strong’s Concordance means “properly a breathing creature, that is, ANIMAL. BEAST, CREATURE”

There is virtually no difference in shape and construction between animal brain and human brain. The brains of elephants, whales, and dolphins are larger than human brain, and the chimp’s brain is slightly smaller.

Qualitatively the human brain may be very slightly superior, but not enough to remotely account for the difference in output.

What, then, can account for the vast difference? Science cannot adequately answer. Some scientists, in the field of brain research, conclude that, of necessity, there has to be some nonphysical component in human brain that does not exist in animal brain. But most scientists will not admit the possibility of the existence of the nonphysical…

I have explained that human brain is almost identical to animal brain. But man was made in the form and shape of God, to have a special relationship with God-to have the potential of being born into the FAMILY of God. And God is SPIRIT (John 4:24). To make it possible to bridge the gap-or to make the transition of MANKIND, composed wholly of MATTER, into SPIRIT beings in God’s Kingdom, then to be composed wholly of Spirit, and at the same time to give MAN a MIND like God’s-God put a spirit in each human. In Job 32:8, we read, “There is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.” This is a great TRUTH, understood by but very few. I call this spirit the HUMAN spirit, for it is IN each human, even though it is SPIRIT ESSENCE and not matter. It is NOT a spirit person or being. It is not the MAN, but spirit essence IN the man.

Through the spirit in man, man has the capability for understanding. But notice what the wisest man who lived on earth apart from Jesus Christ wrote:

I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work. I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. (Ecclesiastes 3:17-19)

King Solomon have noticed that A MAN HAVE NO PREEMINENCE OR SUPERIORITY ABOVE A BEAST, that is WITHOUT GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT. Here is what Clarke’s Commentary wrote regarding Ecclesiastes 3:18

Verse 18. That they might see that they themselves are beasts

The author of Choheleth has given a correct view of this difficult verse by a proper translation: “I said in my heart, reflecting on the state of the sons of men, O that God would enlighten them, and make them see that even THEY THEMSELVES ARE LIKE BEASTS.” THESE WORDS ARE TO BE REFERRED TO THOSE IN AUTHORITY WHO ABUSED THEIR POWER; particularly to the corrupt MAGISTRATES mentioned above.

So if we will let the Bible interpret itself, the BEASTS in prophecy can refer to TO THOSE IN AUTHORITY WHO ARE ABUSING THEIR POWER and they refer particularly to the CORRUPT MAGISTRATES! From the dictionary: a magistrate is a person who has power to put the laws into force and sentence those guilty. Looking at it in a spiritual perspective, they point us to the ministers in God’s Church who have the same role as such who enforce God’s law and sentence those whom they find guilty of breaking it. Moreover, here is what Jamieson Fausset and Brown Commentary further wrote regarding verse 18:

estate –The estate of fallen man is so ordered (these wrongs are permitted), that God might “manifest,” that is, thereby prove them, and that they might themselves see their mortal frailty, like that of the beasts.

sons of men – rather, “sons of Adam,” a phrase used for “fallen men.” The toleration of injustice until the judgment is designed to “manifest” men’s characters in their fallen state, to see whether the oppressed will bear themselves aright amidst their wrongs, knowing that the time is short, and there is a coming judgment. The oppressed share in death, but the comparison to “beasts” applies especially to the ungodly oppressors (Psalms 49:12, 20). They too need to be “manifested” (“proved”), whether, considering that they must soon die as “beasts” and fearing judgment to come, they will repent.

The same is true in this last end, the TOLERATION OF INJUSTICE from the NO CONTACT POLICY of the prophesied Ezekiel 4 siege is actually in accordance with God’s design to MANIFEST the characters of His own people whether those who have been oppressed will continue to bear themselves in a proper manner amidst the wrong doings of their ministers or they will just allow themselves to become like their own wicked ministers in becoming BEASTS in God’s eyes. And apparently He has been learning quite a lot about each one us. God has also specially designed the PREPARED DECEPTION in Jeremiah 4:10 to REVEAL and EXPOSE the ANTICHRISTS or the BEASTS within His own Church who oppressed His little ones (Matthew 18:6).

For emphasis, as JFB Commentary noted that “THECOMPARISON TO ‘BEASTS’ APPLIES ESPECIALLY TO THE UNGODLY OPPRESSORS” AND THEY NEED TO BE “MANIFESTED” OR “PROVED.” So as God saw these people, He inspired His servants the apostles and prophets to manifest these wicked men to be described as beasts:

(H)ence wicked men are compared to lions, foxes, evening wolves, vipers and the like. So Mr. Broughton renders it, “how they are beasts, they to themselves” (Gill’s Commentary)

So it just mean that when the apostle John wrote of the BEASTS of Revelation, God was actually talking about those wicked men which are comparable to LIONS, BEAR, LEOPARD (even in the Book of Daniel of a the strong, dreadful and terrible beast) that they would be described as such even though they seem to look honorable on the outside yet inside they are BEASTS – the UNGODLY OPPRESSORS of His people!

Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish… Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beaststhat perish. (Psalms 49:12, 20)

The best example for this can be found in Daniel chapter 4 wherein King Nebuchanezzar had been reduced to an estate of a WILD BEAST!

The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws. (Daniel 4:30-33)

Again as it says in Psalms 49:20 that a man although he is in honor, but without understanding, he is just comparable to the BEASTS that perishes. Look at what happened to King Nebuchadnezzar, he thought that he was an honorable king of Babylon who ruled the ancient world, yet God showed him that a man like him “WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING” can be reduced to being just a “BEAST” in His eyes. True understanding only comes from God through His Holy Spirit joining with the spirit in man. (Job 32:8)

The leaders of the European Union has always been without understanding about God’s TRUTH and God does not want to MANIFEST and PROVE or EXPOSE the European Union. This EU has NOTHING to do with God’s Church in this end time.

I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work. (Ecclesiastes 3:17)

This shows us, that the Holy Roman Empire cannot be the BEAST in the Book of Revelation that will oppress God’s SPIRITUAL nation (His Church), yet they are the BEAST that has oppressed His PHYSICAL nation Israel that has seven resurrections. Remember that it is God’s Church that is being judged right now (1 Peter 4:17) and not European Union or the people of this world, so the beast in the Book of Revelation does not refer to the Holy Roman Empire in Europe that will be led by Germany. How can we prove it?

Let us pause for a while and imagine the beast of Revelation as the Holy Roman Empire in Europe while the woman who sits on it is the Catholic Church led by the pope in Vatican as prophesied in Revelation chapter 17:

So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns… And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. (Revelation 17:3, 6-8)

Here is how the PCG further explains these verses:

The “woman” in Revelation 17, the great false church, is shown as sitting on—ruling over—all seven of these kingdoms. Furthermore, they are successive, because at the time to which John was carried forward in this vision, “five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come.” The five “heads” are the five successive revivals of the empire which were ruled for 1,260 years by the papacy (the fourth through eighth horns).

After a temporary suspension in a “bottomless pit” (Revelation 17:8), the sixth revived head, or ninth horn, began with Garibaldi and culminated in the rule of the Mussolini/Hitler Axis. In 1935, Mussolini entered into a concordat with the papacy—signed the Latin accord acknowledging papal supremacy—and officially proclaimed it a resurrection of the Roman Empire!

Very plainly, these “seven heads” are seven successive restorations—resurrections—of the so-called “Holy” Roman Empire under the influence of the papacy.

When these prophecies were first revealed to Herbert W. Armstrong, he was on the scene during the time of the sixth restoration, hence the “one is” (Revelation 17:10) existed at that time!

Source: p. 20, Royal Vision, September-October 2005, BIBLE MINISTUDY: History and Prophecy of the BEAST

If the woman is the great false church (i.e., Catholic Church) in this prophecy wherein John even”sawthe woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus,” then it follows that in every resurrection of the so-called “Holy” Roman Empire under the influence of the papacy, there must be a martyrdom and a shedding of the blood of God’s saints in each of the resurrections.

Now here’s the question: During the period of time when Mussolini entered into a concordat with the papacy which officially proclaimed their rule as the resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire in 1935 and onwards into World War II even at the end of it in 1945, have we seen any account of persecution instigated by the pope toward God’s Church which resulted to the martyrdom and shedding of the blood of any member from God’s Church during the Philadelphia era?

The answer is NONE! But why is it so? Because the BEAST being discussed by the apostle John in Revelation 17 is NOT the Holy Roman Empire in Europe that will be led by Germany and influenced by the papacy as Brad Macdonald prophesies in his book, because the BEAST CAN BE FOUND INSIDE God’s own Church as the apostle Peter wrote in his epistle!

But there were FALSE PROPHETS also AMONG THE PEOPLE, even as there shall be FALSE TEACHERS AMONG YOU, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction… But these, as natural BRUTE BEASTS, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption (2 Peter 2:1, 12)

This is the PRESENT TRUTH in this last end that we must be established in (2 Peter 1:12). Members in God’s Church are the ones being proved by God through the PRESENT TRUTH written in the Book of Remembrance whether we become MEN in the image of God or we become BEASTS in the image of Satan and his demons (Ecclesiastes 3:18). If the PCG in its vanity will continue in its path to IGNORANCE then they will become BEASTS in God’s eyes!

So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. (Psalms 73:22)

THE REAL BEAST OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION

The apostle Peter has prophesied that FALSE TEACHERS and FALSE PROPHETS whom he called as BRUTE BEASTS (the same way Jude described them) will be AMONG the people INSIDE God’s own Church. Despite of that fact, he also discussed a living hope which will be revealed in this last end.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)

Here is what Mr. Gerald Flurry wrote about verse 5:

“Who are kept [or guarded] by the power of God through faith …” (1 Peter 1:5). “Kept” would better read guarded, which is a military expression. Our hope must be guarded with a military spirit—eternal life and eternal death are at stake. Satan, who is totally hopeless, is a master at destroying people’s hope.

Have the Laodiceans lost their living hope? Peter says that if you understand that hope, you will guard it with your life—you won’t let anyone steal it from you. That is the theme of his epistles. Study them to see how to build that hope and guard it!

Verse 5 concludes, “… unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” Here Peter talks about “the last time.” Lange’s Commentary says about this phrase, “Peter thought immediately impending was that last time,” which is actually the time in which we now live. The International Critical Commentary says, “The exact phrase is not elsewhere found. It means not ‘time,’ but ‘the time’—the appointed time or season for some particular thing, whether it be a period or a moment”—or an hour, or less than an hour. That is what Peter means.

Thayer’s Lexicon says of this phrase, “Extreme, last in time or in place, talking about the last time. THE TRUMPET AFTER WHICH NO OTHER WILL SOUND. Of the time nearest the return of Christ from heaven. In phrases of the time immediately preceding Christ’s return from heaven and the consummation of the divine kingdom, the uttermost part.”

Peter’s mind was on the END TIME—the same time John and Jude spoke of when they talked about antichrists and false prophets inside God’s Laodicean Church. The VERY LAST LITTLE HOUR OF TIME ON EARTH after God’s true Church has turned away from Him! The critical time in which God reveals these epistles.

The International Critical Commentary also gives one definition for “in the last time” (verse 5) as “in a season of extremity” or “the direst peril.”

Source: p. 12 The Epistles of Peter

The apostles Peter, Jude and John were speaking of the same problem of having ANTICHRISTS and FALSE PROPHETS INSIDE God’s own Church that will happen in the LAST TIME as what had happened in the first century. This is also the LAST END which the prophet Daniel spoke about (Daniel chapter 8:19, 23). These ANTICHRISTS and FALSE PROPHETS INSIDE God’s own Church have been the same problem being discussed in our book, “THE LAST END – A Book of Remembrance.”

To further prove that it is really the Book of Remembrance which the apostle Peter has prophesied of in verse 5 concerning the SALVATION THAT IS READY TO BE REVEALED IN THE LAST TIME, let us read again what Mr. Flurry wrote:

Thayer’s Lexicon says of this phrase, “Extreme, last in time or in place, talking about the last time. THE TRUMPET AFTER WHICH NO OTHER WILL SOUND. Of the time nearest the return of Christ from heaven.In phrases of the time immediately preceding Christ’s return from heaven and the consummation of the divine kingdom, the uttermost part.”

Source: p. 12 The Epistles of Peter

For emphasis, the precise time which Peter was talking about is referring to the time when “THE TRUMPET AFTER WHICH NO OTHER WILL SOUND. Of the time nearest the return of Christ from heaven. In phrases of the time immediately preceding Christ’s return from heaven and the consummation of the divine kingdom, the uttermost part” as Thayer’s Lexicon noted. This brings us to the SEVENTH AND FINAL TRUMPET ANGEL that is about to sound in the context of the MYSTERY OF GOD.

But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. (Revelation 10:7)

This MYSTERY OF GOD is the same SALVATION THAT HAS BEEN PREPARED BY GOD TO BE REVEALED IN THE LAST END and it is actually the Book of Remembrance!

Through faith you are being protected by God’s power for a salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of this era. (1 Peter 1:5, International Standard Version)

Peter was actually prophesying about the time during the end of the Laodicean era, when God has prepared to reveal His salvation by way of remembrance (2 Peter 1:12-16; 2 Peter 3:1-2).

Now notice that the apostles Peter, Jude and John were contemporaries. So if Peter and Jude were both speaking of FALSE TEACHERS and FALSE PROPHETS AMONG God’s people and compared them to BRUTE BEASTS, isn’t it just but proper that John would be discussing this same group in the Book of Revelations?

To prove this, let us read what Mr. Gerald Flurry wrote in the Royal Vision discussing the identity of these people who were being mentioned specifically by the first century apostles:

SATAN THE DEVIL HAS ENACTED A GREAT PLOTOVER THE CENTURIES TO COVER UP THE HISTORY OF GOD’S CHURCH. We need to understand this plot because it is a WARNING to God’s people today. Throughout history, God’s people have had to battle to hang on to the truth. The Apostle Paul repeatedly warned God’s people against turning to another gospel – a gospel of men rather than the gospel of God (2 Corinthians 11:4; Galatians 1:6).

Jude spoke of the same danger. ‘Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints’ (Jude 3). He probably wrote this shortly before the close of the first century, at a time when the Church was departing from the truth.

‘For there are certain men crept in unawares,’ verse 4 says, ‘turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness,’ or lawlessness. Men who were not converted were creeping into the Church and causing serious problems. (That indicates that the ministers were letting down and allowing people in who should not have been there! This is why God’s ministers have to be so careful. We don’t want to go to extremes, and we want as many people in the Church as possible, but we must be careful about who we let into God’s Church. We have to make sure God is guiding us and protect God’s loyal members.)

HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG SHOWED HOW THESE PROBLEMS IN THE CHURCH AT THAT TIME, WERE LARGELY SIMON MAGUS’S DOING. Mr. Armstrong proved how Simon Magus was at work in the Corinthian church, and how Paul’s, John’s, Jude’s and Peter’s writings show that all these apostles had to battle this man’s influence.In a letter to the ministry, dated Feb. 22, 1974, Mr. Armstrong talked about the different biblical books where you can obviously see Simon Magus and his followers: 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, John’s epistles, 2 Peter and Jude.

There was a pattern: It was the same group of people basically causing all the problems. This powerful Simon Magus kept right on coming, and rebels kept growing and multiplying and continually causing problems in God’s Church.

A lot of people have been confused, thinking there were all kinds of religious or “Christian” groups causing those problems, when in reality it was primarily that old Babylonian mystery religion, trying to blot out God’s Church and take it over.

We need to understand this because it makes it so much more clear what God’s Church is dealing with today.

MR. ARMSTRONG’S INSTRUCTION IN THIS IS REALLY CRITICAL. When he got into subjects like this, he was almost 100 percent right (of course, he did not understand about the Laodicean era). We must realize how God used this man and keep ourselves grounded in what he taught! If you find a person who restores all things, you want to cling to that. If you look at the really critical subjects—such as the record of what happened in the New Testament Church—you’ll find that Mr. Armstrong covered them extremely well. We have that wonderful history to draw from, and God help us if we don’t use it!

Source: The True History of God’s Church Part 2, November-December 2012 issue, page 1

SATAN THE DEVIL HAS INDEED ENACTED A GREAT PLOT EVEN TODAY! Mr. Gerald Flurry put the emphasis on the PATTERN thatSimon Magus and his group employed:

“It was the same group of people basically causing all the problems. This powerful Simon Magus kept right on coming, and rebels kept growing and multiplying and continually causing problems in God’s Church. …We need to understand this because it makes it so much more clear what God’s Church is dealing with today. MR. ARMSTRONG’S INSTRUCTION IN THIS IS REALLY CRITICAL.”

Indeed, it is really critical. But can we see that PATTERN? Notice how Jude describe those who have crept INSIDE God’s Church

But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. (Jude 1:10)

They are described here as BRUTE BEASTS! Simon Magus and his group are actually the BEASTS of Revelation! And they are those who have crept inside God’s own Church from the Ephesus down to the Laodicean era! In actual fact, it is Satan the devil coming in the flesh through this group who is the REAL BEAST of Revelation that John wrote of.

And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. (Revelation 12:3)

Again, the beast in the book of Revelations is NOT referring to the Holy Roman Empire and they are those who has crept inside God’s own Church who has caused God’s people to disobey Him!

But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; (2 Peter 2:12)

Here’s what Barnes Commentary wrote regarding verse 12:

Verse 12

But these, as natural brute beasts – These persons, who resemble so much irrational animals which are made to be taken and destroyed. The point of the comparison is, that they are like fierce and savage beasts that exercise no control over their appetites, and that seem to be made only to be destroyed. These persons, by their fierce and ungovernable passions, appear to be made only for destruction, and rush blindly on to it. The word rendered “natural,” (which, however, is lacking in several manuscripts), means “as they are by nature,” following the bent of their natural appetites and passions. The idea is, that they exercised no more restraint over their passions than beasts do over their propensities.They were entirely under the dominion of their natural appetites, and DID NOT ALLOW THEIR REASON OR CONSCIENCE TO EXERT ANY CONSTRAINT. The word rendered “brute,” means without reason; irrational. Man has reason, and should allow it to control his passions; the brutes have no rational nature, and it is to be expected that they will act out their propensities without restraint. Man, as an animal, has many passions and appetites resembling those of the brute creation, but he is also endowed with a higher nature, which is designed to regulate and control his inferior propensities, and to keep them in subordination to the requirements of law. If a man sinks himself to the level of brutes, he must expect to be treated like brutes; and as wild and savage animals – LIONS, and PANTHERS, and WOLVES, and BEARS – are regarded as dangerous, and as “made to be taken and destroyed,” so the same destiny must come upon men who make themselves like them.

The apostle Paul had an experience with such people even “of the circumcision” who themselves profess that they know God, yet they themselves “DID NOT ALLOW THEIR REASON OR CONSCIENCE TO EXERT ANY CONSTRAINT” in dealing with God’s people. They are like BRUTE BEASTS that are without reason; irrational, wild and savage as LIONS, BEARS and LEOPARDS are (as depicted by John in Revelation 13).

For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake. (Titus 1:10-11)

There are so many accounts of this occurrence in the PCG wherein a minister has overthrown the father in the family and destroyed his relationship with his wife and children by making him appear ineffective, while misleading the children and the wife to betray the head of the family. One classic example of this is a family in the PCG Philippines who left their helpless father lying in a hospital bed while in a state of coma. They left him for good without any mercy on their part and totally separated themselves from him as instructed by the PCG minister. What could be the reason why a PCG minister will do such a thing? Here is Barnes Commentary’s answer:

FOR GAIN. That is, they inculcate such doctrines as will make themselves popular, and as will give them access to the confidence of the people. They make it their first object to acquire influence as ministers of religion, and then abuse that in order to obtain money from the people. This they would doubtless do under many pretences; such as that it was needful for the support of the gospel, or for the relief of the poor, or perhaps for the assistance of distant Christians in persecution. Religion is the most powerful principle that ever governs the mind; and if a man has the control of that, it is no difficult thing to induce men to give up their worldly possessions. In all ages, there have been IMPOSTORS who have taken advantage of the powerful principle of religion to obtain money from their deluded followers. No people can be too vigilant in regard to pretended religious teachers; and while it is undoubtedly their duty to contribute liberally for the support of the gospel, and the promotion of every good cause, it is no less their duty to examine with care every proposed object of benevolence, and to watch with an eagle eye those who have the disbursement of the charities of the church. It is very rare that ministers ought to have much to do with disposing of the funds given for benevolent purposes; and when they do, they should in all cases be associated with their lay brethren;

There are several IMPOSTORS in the PCG who pretend to be religious teachers, but we can actually know them by their fruits (Matthew 7:15-16). Many people in the PCG have been deluded into following these VAIN TALKERS and DECEIVERS among the ministry who were able to destroy many families. This is what has transpired during the prophesiedEzekiel 4 siegeand the martyrdom of the saints. The apostle Paul further writes of these impostors who were able to infiltrate God’s ministry in the first century whom he called EVIL BEASTS.

One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, the Cretians are alway liars, EVILS BEASTS, slow bellies. (Titus 1:12)

Barnes Commentary states regarding verse 12 that “THERE WAS NEED OF THE UTMOST VIGILANCE IN THE SELECTION OF PERSONS FOR THE MINISTRY. They all had well-known traits of character, which made it proper that NO ONE SHOULD BE INTRODUCED INTO THE MINISTRY WITHOUT EXTREME CAUTION.”

This is the same language that Jude and Peter spoke of concerning people that have been introduced into the ministry which they compare to EVIL BEASTS! Would it be any different with John’s understanding? For emphasis let’s read again what Mr. Gerald Flurry wrote in the Royal Vision, November-December 2012:

HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG SHOWED HOW THESE PROBLEMS IN THE CHURCH AT THAT TIME, WERE LARGELY SIMON MAGUS’S DOING. Mr. Armstrong proved how Simon Magus was at work in the Corinthian church, and how Paul’s, John’s, Jude’s and Peter’s writings show that all these apostles had to battle this man’s influence…

There was a pattern: It was the same group of people basically causing all the problems. This powerful Simon Magus kept right on coming, and rebels kept growing and multiplying and continually causing problems in God’s Church

Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong proved and taught us that the apostles Paul, John, Jude and Peter knew that they were all speaking of the same group of people when they have written their epistles. So even if we use our COMMON SENSE it follows that John was also discussing the same BEAST in Revelation as what Peter, Jude and Paul have written about which Mr. Armstrong also showed us.

This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. (Titus 1:13-16)

Here’s another instance where the apostle Paul have fought Simon Magus’s group:

If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die. Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame. (1 Corinthians 15:32-34)

God inspired Paul to write about Simon Magus’ disciples being described as the BEASTS that he fought in Ephesus. God through the prophet Isaiah even calls those ignorant shepherds that cannot understand as DOGS or BEASTS in the forest.

The Lord God, which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him. All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest. His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant. (Isaiah 56:8-12)

Now here’s the apostle John’s own account of the BEAST as he wrote in the Book of Revelations.

And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. (Revelation 13:1)

What the apostle John saw was the BEAST, SIMON MAGUS and his group with its government and system of injecting its COUNTERFEIT DOCTRINES or the MYSTERY RELIGION of Druidism RISING UP OUT OF THE SEA! And how were they able to deceive God’s people then and now?

“Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” (2 Pet. 1:12-16)

As the apostle Peter said that we are not to follow “cunningly devised fables.” Now, what do we mean by “cunningly devised”? Well, it came from the Greek word, “sophizo” which means,

“to render wise in a sinister acceptation, to form sophisms, that is continue plausible error.”

Let us define some words for better understanding: the word “sinister” in the dictionary also means, evil, ominous, foreboding, while “acceptation” means, a generally accepted understanding of a concept.

The word “sophism” means, an argument apparently correct in form but actually invalid; especially such an argument used to deceive; a plausible but fallacious argument; a deceptive or fallacious argumentation. While the word “fable” means falsehood or lie.

Putting all the words together, it seems that there is an evil favorable reception of a falsehood that we should be very aware of which requires a great deal of remembering. Let us then further test the spirit. Does the work in Ireland come from CUNNINGLY DEVISED FABLES? Can you REMEMBER a prior work there in Ireland which has been done by Mr. Armstrong before? This SOPHISM being mentioned by the apostle Peter was an apt description of the way of the Druids which could most likely be the problem he was facing then:

Nor ought this to seem a wonder, since to arrive at perfection in sophistry requires a long habit, as well as in juggling, in which last they were very expert: but to be masters of both, and withal to learn the art of managing the mob, which is vulgarly called leading the people by the nose, demands abundant study and exercise. (p. 59, History of the Druids by John Toland)

Unless God gives the revelation about this pagan group and expose them in the process, it is very difficult to detect Druids in an organization because they were experts in SOPHISTRY and they have even perfected it! They knew the ART OF MANAGING THE PEOPLE around them by LEADING THE PEOPLE BY THE NOSE:

Source: The Last End Book of Remembrance

Through SOPHISM, Simon Magus and his followers were able to lead God’s people by the nose. We have already proven that it was Simon Magus who started the religion of Druidism. (Click on the image to download the booklet)

Since the Anglo Saxons having learned the word Dry from the Irish and British for a magician.—This etymology of the Saxon Dry from the Celtic Draoi or Draoid, pronounced Drid and Druid is confirmed by Dr. Smith in his History of the Druids, and by Dr. Jamieson in his History of the Culdees, The absurd custom of deriving everything from the Greek and Latin is now, and indeed very properly, losing ground. The Celtic Druid literally signifies a magician; and hence the translators of the New Testament into Gaelic, finding no other word in that language fit for their purpose, rendered Simon Magus, Simon the Druid. (Note II.—Page 57, History of the Druids by John Toland)

The influence of Simon Magus was widespread in the British Isles and few historians were able to give an account of its transformation and merger to Christianity, no wonder for that has been the case when he was able to infiltrate God’s Church in the first century unknowingly as written in Acts 8:9-13.

But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

That’s the history of how Satan and his human instruments operates, they creep in unaware among unsuspecting members of God’s Church and they will blend in with them until they can see the most opportune time to inject their own ungodly doctrines that will eventually destroy God’s people.

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. (Jude 1:4-5)

Now those “certain men who have crept in unawares” were already put in remembrance by God through His Book of Remembrance:

Certain men have crept in unawares – this could only be because they are practicing this “system of elaborate fraud andimposture”by the Druids – “who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”!

Imagine this people are ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into a license to disobey! The most abominable part is this – they are even using God’s government to implement their evil scheme! Now, God’s Church is headed toward the worst abomination any Church era had done. This is how the transgressors are coming to the full!

EDMOND—The Philadelphia Church of God officially purchased a new campus in England on November 12. United Kingdom/Europe Regional Director Brad Macdonald received the keys today from a Sotheby’s real estate agent, marking the official closing of the deal and opening of a new chapter for the Church’s work in Britain and Europe.

The estate will serve as a new location for the Church’s regional office in England. A handful of students from Herbert W. Armstrong College will also travel to England to support the Church’s work in the region…

“I believe God has long been preparing Edstone for His Church,” Mr. Macdonald said. “Edstone is ideal for the PCG—a perfect combination of majesty and functionality. It’s dignified and impressive, yet practical and sensible.”

Receiving the key to Edstone Hall capped off a two-year quest for a new campus in England. In December 2012, PCG Pastor General Gerald Flurry asked Mr. Macdonald to search the London area for estates that could fulfill the needs of an expanded work in Britain and Europe. Mr. Macdonald soon discovered that the former Ambassador College campus in Bricket Wood was for sale. The college there closed 40 years ago, in 1974.

But what was Mr. Armstrong’s view on the work in Ephraim or in Britain?

Yes, the British Isles heard Christ’s gospel! But they accepted, instead, the idolatry of the Druids, pagan worship, and the counterfeit “Christianity” of the Roman Babylonian mystery religion, and even spawned the devil’s religion of the evolutionary concept. (p. 131, The United States and Britain in Prophecy)

That statement of Mr. Armstrong is actually a fulfillment of a prophecy in Hosea chapter 4:

Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone!Even when their drinks are gone, they continue their prostitution;their rulers dearly love shameful ways. A whirlwind will sweep them away, and their sacrifices will bring them shame.. (Hosea 4:17-19, NIV)

God’s SIGNET has left the England campus for good because of this prophecy that the British Isles “accepted, instead, the idolatry of the Druids, pagan worship, and the counterfeit ‘Christianity’ of the Roman Babylonian mystery religion.” Now how true is this prophecy in Hosea chapter 4? Can we even find some sort of an evidence from the history books?

Simon Magus had a place among the purposeless wanderers who were fabled to have made their way to Ireland. He was known among Celts as Simon the Druid, the constructor of the Wheel of Light. Rhys, Hibbcrt Lectures, p. 210 ff. ; Vitat Sanctorum Hiberniae, cxxiii.

From the title itself, “A history of the church in Scotland” it appears that Simon Magus really wandered around and sought to infiltrate God’s own Church as it moved to Britain. Simon Magus could have followed the place where the prophet Jeremiah went. But where specifically in the British Isles could Simon Magus have established his own MYSTERY RELIGION?

lona was originally called loua, its ancient Gaelic or Pictish name. This is the name invariably used by Adamnan, the ninth Abbot, writing at the end of the seventh century.

Other old spellings are: Eo, Ea, lo, la. In modern Gaelic it is called I (pronounced ee), the island, and also Y, Hy, Hi, and Hii. Owing to its close association with Columba, the saint’s name was often linked on to that of the island, making, in anglicized Gaelic, Icolmkill, the island of Colum of the Church. Another name is Innis nam Dniineach, meaning the Island of the Cunning Workmen, or sculptors; and still another is Innis-nam-Druidneach, the ISLE OF THE DRUIDS. The story that lona was a sacred isle of Druids before Columba’s time seems to have sprung up at a late period, but the word druid is still used occasionally in speaking of ministers and priests, and the name may mean “the isle of priests.”

There is a theory that “lona” is derived from I-shona^ which, as the initial letters sh are invariably mute in Gaelic, is pronounced lona, and which means “the isle of saints.”

The generally accepted view, however, is that the name lona is derived from the original loua, through the mistake of mediaeval scribes in the copying of manuscripts, and that the word got thus into English and Latin, though not into Gaelic use.

It is worthy of note that the Hebrew word lona corresponds to the Latin Cohiniba meaning “a dove.”

Scotland before Columba

In pre-Christian days, the religion of the Celtic race, of whose ancient territory Ireland and Scotland formed part, was Druidism. The origins of this religion are lost in antiquity, and indeed we have little authentic knowledge at all concerning it; for it was esoteric, hidden, and its unwritten doctrine and ritual disappeared with the last of the ancient priesthood…

The pre-Christian Celts, like other ancient races, sought *’ the unknown God “in their own manner. They worshipped the rising sun, kept the feast of Beltane, on May Day, with sun-worship and fire-ceremonies, celebrated All-Hallow-E’en, and reverenced the mistletoe. There is no evidence that the Pictish Druids offered human sacrifices and taught transmigration of souls, as did the Druids of Gaul.

The old religion appears to have had three orders, for which men were trained in the Colleges of Initiates. These included the Druid proper, whose temple was a spreading oak and whose altar a stone; the Bard, whose office was to preserve and hand on the national tradition; and the Seer, who foretold the future by the position of the stars and the flight of birds. There was probably much that was beautiful in the old religion, but in its later period it appears to have become degraded into a RELIGION OF WITCHCRAFT…

The Druids of Columba’s time were an official class of diviners and sorcerers who professed to have powers over this spirit world, and to be able to direct the wind and weather and avert the enemity of evil spirits by means of charms and spells… Columba found in the land of his adoption *’ a people with a love of the arts and a passion for music…

But what’s so significant about the island of Iona anyway? Let’s read from the Book of Remembrance (the transcript was from the British Broadcasting Corporation network that was broadcasted on October 1, 2007 entitled, Highland Clans – Episode 2: Macdonald. It was hosted by Paul Murton. Here’s a part of the transcript excerpted from that episode):

Macdonald – Lords of the Isles

Throughout the 14th to 15th centuries, the Macdonalds ruled the Hebrides in Highlands. And from Lochalsh in the north to Kintyre in the south, they control vast areas of the Scottish mainland. To defend their territory they built a series of impressive castles right across the west of Scotland…

Successive generations of Clan Donald chiefs would have stood here to survey a huge empire that at one point surpassed even that of their great ancestor Somerled… Here in Iona, far from the reach of the Scottish kings, the Macdonalds truly were the “Lords of the Isles.”

The most convincing evidence of Macdonald’s supremacy can be found in the most unexpected of places. Loch Finlaggan lies right in the middle of Iona and is miles from the sea. Surprisingly, it was here that Clan Donald, rulers of the great maritime empire built their seat of power.

Again for emphasis, it was in Iona, the Isle of the Druids where Clan Donald,rulers of the great maritime empire built their seat of power.

And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. (Revelation 13:1)

What the apostle John saw was the BEAST – SIMON MAGUS and his group, with its own government and system of SOPHISM to inject the MYSTERY RELIGION of Druidism RISING UP OUT OF THE SEA! (Isaiah 57:20; Revelation 17: 1,15; Psalm 65: 7; Isaiah 17: 12, 13)

It was Dr. Lanigan who asserted, “The Christian missionaries early opened schools in opposition to Druids.” It was the opinion of Arthur Clive that much Druidism “blended with the Christian learning of the seventh and subsequent centuries.” (p. 5, Irish Druids and Old Irish Religions)

And continuing in that tradition of mixing Druidism with Christianity, Somerled’s daughter Bethoc even became the first PRIORESS of Iona. While another descendant, John Macdonald became the Lord of the Isles in IONA which was known to be the ISLE OF THE DRUIDS where he built his seat of power!

Now notice that in every era of God’s Church, Satan the devil, through the MYSTERY RELIGION established by Simon Magus or Simon the Druid, was able to infiltrate God’s Church through the ministry or the leadership and eventually destroy it from WITHIN and that is how Satan through his human instrument always operates.

But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. (Acts 8:9-13)

Simon Magus was able to slip into God’s Church early on with Philip baptizing him. That was already a sign of what shall happen from that time onwards. Moreover, notice here a very intriguing connection between Simon Magus and Judas Iscariot (the first century son of perdition):

“Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.” (John 6:70-71, see also John 12:4 and John 13:2, 26)

Could it be that Simon Magus was the real father of Judas Iscariot?

In all likelihood they were indeed a father-and-son tandem of the first century who dare try to destroy God’s Church then. And just like what the father-and-son tandem of Joseph Tkach Sr. and Joseph Tkach Jr. did to the Worldwide Church of God in recent Church history; Is another father and son tandem be behind the final abomination of desolation inside God’s Church?

Could it also be that Somerled was also in the BLOODLINE of Simon Magus? They most likely are related to each other considering the family history of Somerled and connecting it with the prophecy in Micah:

Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand. And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage. Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil. (Micah 2:1-3)

THE MYSTERY OF THE WOMAN AND THE BEAST

Let’s read again what Mr. Gerald Flurry wrote concerning Satan the devil’s great plot to cover up the history of God’s Church by using Simon Magus and his followers:

SATAN THE DEVIL HAS ENACTED A GREAT PLOT OVER THE CENTURIES TO COVER UP THE HISTORY OF GOD’S CHURCH. We need to understand this plot because it is a WARNING to God’s people today. Throughout history, God’s people have had to battle to hang on to the truth. The Apostle Paul repeatedly warned God’s people against turning to another gospel – a gospel of men rather than the gospel of God (2 Corinthians 11:4; Galatians 1:6). Jude spoke of the same danger. ‘Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints’ (Jude 3). … ‘For there are certain men crept in unawares,’ verse 4 says, ‘turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness,’ or lawlessness. Men who were not converted were creeping into the Church and causing serious problems…

HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG SHOWED HOW THESE PROBLEMS IN THE CHURCH AT THAT TIME, WERE LARGELY SIMON MAGUS’S DOING.Mr. Armstrong proved how Simon Magus was at work in the Corinthian church, and how Paul’s, John’s, Jude’s and Peter’s writings show that all these apostles had to battle this man’s influence…

There was a pattern: It was the same group of people basically causing all the problems. This powerful Simon Magus kept right on coming, and rebels kept growing and multiplying and continually causing problems in God’s Church. …We need to understand this because it makes it so much more clear what God’s Church is dealing with today. MR. ARMSTRONG’S INSTRUCTION IN THIS IS REALLY CRITICAL.

Source: p. 1 Royal Vision, November-December 2012 issue, (The True History of God’s Church Part 2)

Are we listening right now to Mr. Armstrong’s instruction concerning Simon Magus and his group? Satan has a made a lethal weapon out of Simon Magus and his followers. Let’s consider again the greatest Celtic king, Somerled and prove later how he fulfilled a specific Bible prophecy:

Paul Murton: Across the world, a 120 million people claim clan ancestry and millions of these belong to probably the biggest and most famous clan of them all – Macdonald. And the story of this mighty highland clan starts with one extraordinary man.

Somerled, was the greatest of the Celtic warrior kings. In the 12th century Righ nan Eillean, the king of the Isles defeated the Vikings and rule to such power that he and his descendants, the Macdonalds, challenged the kings of Scotland…

Paul Murton: Kathleen, what kind of man was Somerled?

Kathleen MacPhee: I think he was a person of tremendous character, determination, intelligence. He it was who had the charisma to rally the people and get them to fight back against the Viking thugs. …He gradually started to take over not just Morven, but Mull …and then Kintyre, Lorne, middle Dale …The idea came into his head that perhaps he could become a king of his own territory …He created a kingdom which actually challenged the king of Scotland…

This challenge by Somerled resulted to the titanic clash between two mighty armies struggling to control the destiny of Scotland which is known in the history books as the Battle of Renfrew in 1164.

Narration: After the battle, Somerled’s kingdom was not swallowed up by Scotland. The death of the “King of the Isles” eventually led to the formation of Clan Donald. I’ve come to face the abbey to speak with historian Andrew Macdonald (Brock University, Ontario). I wanted to find out about the birth of what is perhaps the greatest dynasty in Highland history.

When Somerled was defeated, his kingdom was not swallowed up by Scotland, and this history is actually a fulfillment of a prophecy written by the apostle John in Revelation chapter 13:

And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. (Revelation 13:3)

What do you think is the KEY to Clan Donald’s success even making the world to wonder after them?

Paul Murton: Andrew, what happened after the Battle of Renfrew?

Andrew Macdonald: Well, the first thing that happened was that Somerled’s kingdom or empire was divided up amongst his sons. And within a couple of generations one of the dominant figures that emerges in the west was Somerled’s grandson named Donald and it is from Donald of course that we get the Clan Donald, the Macdonalds that eventually go on to become the most powerful families in the region.

Paul Murton: What was the key to Clan Donald’s success?

Andrew Macdonald: Sometimes it’s easier to work from within the system than it is to oppose it from without. One of the best examples of what I’m talking about is in this abbey all around us, because even though it was founded by the man who defeated Somerled, it was actually patronized by Somerled’s descendants including Donald. They gave money to the abbey; they pumped money into it; they were benefactors. In fact what we see in the 13th century is these men coming much closer into contact with the Scottish kingdom itself. The descendants of Somerled ceased to use the title of “king” that Somerled had used and they now tend to describe themselves as “lords” or in one document of 1284 as “barons of the realms of Scotland”

Paul Murton: But originally they were fighting against the crown and now they are fighting with the crown. That’s a complete turnaround. What was in it for them?

Andrew Macdonald: Well, I think what was in it for them was again opportunism, a means of enhancing their power and their prestige and that’s exactly what happens.

This KEY to the success of Clan Donald of working from within the system than it is to oppose it from without was originally employed by Simon Magus himself (Acts 8:9-13). This is a great mystery that is being manifested right now which made God’s own Church to become a HARLOT in this last end!

And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. (Revelation 17:7-9)

“I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her” – We have proven already the identity of this GREAT WHORE as discussed in a previous article. Now we may ask this question: How did this woman (or God’s Church) become a WHORE? And who made her to become such?

I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled. (Hosea 5:3)

I know Ephraim– There is much emphasis on the “I.” It is like our, “I have known,” or “I, I, have known.” God had known him all along, if we may so speak. However deep they may have laid their plans of blood, however they would or do hide them from man, and think that no eye seeth them, and say, “Who seeth me? and who knoweth me? …For, He adds, even now, now when, under a fair outward show, they are veiling the depth of their sin, now, when they think that their way is hid in darkness, I know their doings, that they are defiling themselves. – Barne’s Commentary

Out of VANITY, those PCG ministers of Ephraimite stock may think highly of themselves, and proudly flaunts about it, but in God’s eyes they are guilty of bringing the whole Church into a defiled state through their whoredom.

They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the Lord. (Hosea 5:4)

As Barne’s Commentary states that these Ephraimite ministers “were possessed by an evil spirit, impelling and driving them to sin” against God. They may have already lost God’s Holy Spirit in them which was replaced by the spirit of whoredoms. This is all because of their own VANITY which is the KEY TO THE BOTTOMLESS PIT!

They will not frame their doings … – They were possessed by an evil spirit, impelling and driving them to sin; “the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them,” i.e., in their very inward self, their center, so to speak; in their souls, where reside the will, the reason, the judgment; and so long as they did not, by the strength of God, dislodge him, they would and could not frame their acts, so as to repent and turn to God. For a mightier impulse mastered them and drove them into sin, as the evil spirit drove the swine into the deep…

And yet He was “their God;” this made their sin the more grievous. He, whom they would not turn to, still owned them, was still ready to receive them as “their God.” For the prophet continues, “and they have not known the Lord.” Him, “their God,” they knew not. For the spirit which possessed them hindered them from thought, from memory, from conception of spiritual things. They did not turn to God,

(1) because the evil spirit held them, and so long as they allowed his hold, they were filled with carnal thoughts which kept them back from God. – Barne’s Commentary

This is how the PCG, once a FAITHFUL CITY, BECAME A HARLOT in this last end!

How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. (Isaiah 1:21).

This HARLOT that became MURDERERS in Isaiah chapter 1 is the same WOMAN that is drunken with the blood of God’s people.

And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. (Revelation 17:6)

Now let’s consider this fact in history: During the period of time when Mussolini entered into a concordat with the papacy which officially proclaimed their rule as the resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire in 1935 and onwards into World War II even at the end of it in 1945, we cannot see nor hear of any account of persecution instigated by the pope toward God’s Church which resulted to the martyrdom and shedding of the blood of any member from God’s Church during the Philadelphia era. So it means that the Holy Roman is NOT the BEAST and the Catholic Church is NOT the GREAT WHORE of Revelation!

The martyrdom during the Philadelphia era happened INSIDE God’s Church perpetrated by the ministers INSIDE the Worldwide Church of God. Those members who believed in the lies and deception of those FALSE TEACHERS and FALSE PROPHETS died spiritually – they were slain UNDER THE ALTAR BY MEANS OF GOD’S WORDS (Revelation 6:9). The same thing happened in each era from Ephesus down to the Laodicean era, the martyrdom and the shedding of blood was brought about by the FALSE MINISTERS of Simon Magus INSIDE God’s Church! Some of God’s people even lost their eternal lives because they believed the lies and deception of those men.

The BEAST being discussed by the apostle John in Revelation 17 is NOT the Holy Roman Empire in Europe that will be led by Germany and influenced by the papacy as Brad Macdonald prophesies in his book, because the BEAST CAN BE FOUND INSIDE God’s own Church as the apostle Peter, Jude and Paul wrote in their epistles!

This is “the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her” (Revelation 17:7) which is being revealed in this last end. Now let us further understand the beast that carries the woman.

And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. (Revelation 12: 1-4)

If God has His own messenger or leader for every era, this great red dragon, Satan the devil also has his own leaders embedded inside God’s own Church in every era as well. That was how Satan STOOD before the woman of God’s Church. Well, actually Satan did just that even prior to the establishment of God’s Church. He embedded his own leaders to sway God’s own people beginning with Cain, Nimrod, Korah, Balaam, Jezebel, etc.

Now going back to Revelation 12:4 wherein John saw the DRAGON STOOD BEFORE the WOMAN (God’s Church); it’s actually a prophecy written in the very first book of the Bible:

And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:14-15)

And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. (Revelation 17:7-8)

This beast will shift into DESTRUCTION mode. “and theythat dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world” – these people that dwell on the earth are those who are smitten of God with THE CURSE in God’s Church who will give their allegiance to this BEAST.

For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. (Malachi 4:1)

“whose names were not written in the book of life”- it’s the same as “that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” AS THOUGH THEY HAD NEVER EXISTED! Why were they CURSED that God does not even want their names to be included in the BOOK OF LIFE?

WHAT IS THE CURSE?

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse” (Malachi 4:5-6).

Who is cursed? This is a curse which means “utter destruction.” In the past, this has been applied to the “utter destruction” of all the Earth’s inhabitants. That is not what it means! The message of Malachi was not sent to the nation of Israel or the world. Primarily, the subject is God’s ministry (Malachi 1:6; 2:1; 3:3). God praises some ministers (and people) in this book and says other ministers (and people) are cursed.

The word “earth” here also means the “inhabitants of a region” (see Isaiah 11:4 and 26:18 where the same word “earth” is used). The context reveals that the inhabitants discussed here are in the Church. And they are scattered over all the Earth. (Comment: this is the same “they that dwell on the earth” on Revelation 17:8) Malachi is discussing the fate of true ministers (and their followers) who fail to repent of their falling away from God’s previously revealed truth. It’s these inhabitants who are cursed. The ultimate curse is to lose your eternal life—“utter destruction.” A loss of eternal life! Malachi 4:6 is discussing God’s people who turn to God and build a godly Family of converted people.

And He says those who fail to do this—also converted people—are the inhabitants who will be cursed!

God is primarily talking about destroying the inhabitants of His Church who refuse to build a family around God’s “Elijah” and God’s instructions! Mr. Armstrong was directed in the Work by the great God for 57 years. Either we build our lives around the “Elijah” Family or we lose everything…

This is the curse of “utter destruction” God is talking about. Thayer’s Lexicon says the curse is “the devoting of anything to utter destruction” (see Zechariah 14:11 and 1 Kings 20:42, where the same expression is used).

Even the context of Malachi 4 (verses 1-3) is about those who lose their salvation (“neither root nor branch” is left), and those who enter God’s Kingdom (verse 2). Malachi 4 is not about people who lose their physical lives! And it’s not about God killing every person on Earth because of problems in His Church…

Those who are turning away from the “Elijah” example and his instructions will pay a mind-splitting cost! God’s people possess dangerous knowledge—even more so if they are in the ministry (James 3:1).

When God says “REMEMBER” in Malachi 4:4, it is a warning— a frightful warning! This is exactly what 2 Thessalonians 2:10 is about: some are being saved while others are LOSING THEIR ETERNAL LIVES!

Source: p. 116, Malachi’s Message

Leaders in the Philadelphia Church of God today are leading God’s people to their eternal death because they failed to REMEMBER and they don’t want to REMEMBER – they don’t want the Book of Remembrance. The apostle Peter gave us an advice on how to make our calling and election sure:

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall… Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in REMEMBRANCE of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in REMEMBRANCE; Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in REMEMBRANCE. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” (2 Pet. 1:10, 12-16)

The Philadelphia Church of God’s NEW PROPHET Brad Macdonald wants his readers to focus on the European beast by asking this question: “What if such a terrifying beast is close to being formed already?”

Yet, what God’s people should be most aware of is the spiritual European BEAST that is being formed in Edstone who will eventually devour the great whore (Revelation 17:16-18). Mr. Armstrong was RIGHT when he closed down the Bricket Wood campus in 1974 because of the uprising of the BEASTS from there, but exactly 40 years later, that same BEAST has risen one last time. The apostle Peter has given us an ample amount of admonition to REMEMBER and NOT TO FOLLOW CUNNINGLY DEVISED FABLES. How about you? What will you do?

Zerubbabel Signet

"In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the Lord, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts." (Haggai 2:23)

Zechariah 4 Vision

"And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep. And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof." (Zechariah 4:1--3)

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